Gov. Rhoden Appoints David Wheeler to 3rd Judicial Circuit Court

Seeks Public Input to Fill District 22 Senate Seat

PIERRE, S.D. –  Today, Governor Larry Rhoden announced that he appointed David Wheeler to be a circuit judge in the Third Circuit, a vacancy that will be open upon the retirement of Presiding Judge Greg Stoltenburg. Wheeler resigned from his seat in the South Dakota State Senate yesterday.

“I’ve gotten to know David through the last several years as a senator when I was President of the Senate,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “He believes in our institutions and in upholding the rule of law as written, not as one may think it should be written. I am confident David will represent the judicial branch with the same integrity, work ethic, and passion that he did in the Senate.”

David Wheeler grew up in Huron, SD. He obtained his undergraduate degree, masters, and juris doctorate from the University of South Dakota. David entered private practice and is currently a partner at the Blue, Wheeler and Banks LLP. David has served many roles, including prosecuting and public defense. He was elected in 2020 as a state senator and was serving his third term for District 22 prior to his resignation.

“Public service is very important to me. It has been my honor to serve the people of South Dakota as a state senator,” said David Wheeler. “I am incredibly grateful to Governor Rhoden for the opportunity to serve the people in this new role as a circuit court judge. As a judge, it will be my job to apply the law fairly and equally without regard for politics or personal beliefs.”

David is married to Kristin Wheeler, who is a high school counselor, and they live in Huron with their three children. A photo of David Wheeler can be found here.

The Third Circuit consists of the counties of Beadle, Brookings, Clark, Codington, Deuel, Grant, Hamlin, Hand, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, Miner, Moody, and Sanborn.

The appointment leaves an open seat in the state Senate. Governor Rhoden requests public input on filling the District 22 opening. Those wishing to be considered for the vacancy in the state Senate, or to offer nominations, should email  [email protected]. Nominations should include the candidate’s name, current physical address, resume, cover letter, and letters of recommendation. All nomination materials must be submitted by May 16, 2025.

###

Attorney General Jackley, Emily’s Hope, State Agencies Partner To Distribute 20,000 Naloxone Kits Throughout South Dakota

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley and Emily’s Hope, along with South Dakota Departments of Social Services and Health, announce a partnership that will result in the distribution of 20,000 naloxone kits, which equals 40,000 doses, throughout South Dakota.

“In South Dakota, we find solutions.  I deeply appreciate Emily’s Hope and other nonprofits willingness to step up preventative efforts to save lives from fentanyl overdoses,” said Attorney General Jackley.

Naloxone is a safe, effective opioid overdose reversal medication. It is used in emergencies to help restore normal breathing within two to three minutes in a person whose breathing has slowed, or even stopped, as a result of opioid overdose.

“Time is of the essence during opioid overdoses, and Naloxone is the fire extinguisher of the opioid crisis,” said Angela Kennecke, founder of Emily’s Hope. “This partnership will help make this medication more accessible to those who need it.”

The distribution of these kits is funded by the South Dakota Attorney General’s South Dakota Opioid Settlement and supplied by TEVA Pharmaceuticals.

“Like EpiPens and defibrillators, having naloxone readily available during an emergency can reverse an overdose from opioids, saving lives that might otherwise be lost,” said Teva’s Chief Legal Officer, David McAvoy. “This effort is a nation-leading example of what can be accomplished when government, non-profits, and industry work together toward the common goal of combating opioid overdoses.”

For more information on how to request naloxone kits from Emily’s Hope, click here: https://emilyshope.charity/our-impact/harm-reduction/

A Shared Challenge – with Communities Leading the Way
By: Gov. Larry Rhoden
April 25, 2025

In South Dakota, we value personal responsibility, strong families, and local control. We believe parents should remain the primary decision-makers when raising their children. However, we also recognize that child care is part of a community structure that supports a strong workforce. Across South Dakota and the nation, I hear from families that are struggling with child care availability.

While the issue is often raised as an urgent crisis, it is important to recognize that many of the solutions being proposed are not always grounded in what families and communities need. Some argue that the government should take the lead in solving this issue, often suggesting that subsidizing more taxpayer dollars into the system is the answer. While that may provide temporary relief, it’s not a sustainable solution.

Before we rush to create new programs or expand programs beyond their intended purpose, we should first consider the needs of families and take note of the solutions already developing in our South Dakota communities.

For instance, during my Open for Opportunity tour, I visited a successful, community-driven child care solution in Watertown. Our Little Village Learning Center is opening next month. This project shows what’s possible when a community comes together with a shared purpose.

Through the support of local donors, sponsors, and volunteers, the center was designed to address the area’s child care needs. This approach fosters a broader sense of shared responsibility for the well-being of children. The City of Watertown, Codington County, Harmony Hill Watertown, and a wide range of local businesses and private donors played a critical role in making the project a reality.

In addition to strong local support, Our Little Village Learning Center accessed a South Dakota Works Loan and received a one-time grant from the South Dakota Office of Homeland Security. These funding sources enabled the program to scale quickly without depending on ongoing state support. The center also received technical assistance from the Department of Social Services to support operations and ensure compliance with state regulations.

When I was in Winner on my Open for Opportunity tour, I stopped by a local in-home daycare. This is a nimble solution that remains a core part of the future of child care. I am proud of the South Dakotans who take initiative to invest in our children.

In Madison, the Early Learning Center is another project that demonstrates the importance of community-driven child care solutions. This center received funding through a Community Development Block Grant and ARPA funds during the Noem-Rhoden Administration. However, continued local investment will be crucial going forward. EmBe Education, Lake Area Improvement Corporation, and several local donors within the community will work together to build the support our children and families deserve.

This combination of targeted state resources and sustained local investment has created a model that demonstrates how communities can unite to solve pressing challenges like child care.

If we want lasting solutions, we need continued community support and the investment of local businesses. Together we can meet this challenge and keep our families strong, safe, and free.

###

From Dakota Scout, Lieutenant Governor Tony Venhuizen offered his take on Jon Hansen entering the race for governor

“I like Jon. I’ve known him since he was a kid,” Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen told The Dakota Scout last week. “It’ll be nice to see how he does against major league pitching.”

Ouch..

That was unbelievably fast.

Remember just a few days ago when we were pointing out that the Hansen Lems campaign had adopted a slogan used by Hillary Clinton’s campaign:

Last night, Hansen Lems unveiled a completely revamped slogan, discarding Hillary‘s:

It looks like the duo has dumped the overused stronger together in favor of the wildly overused faith family freedom.

Where else have I seen those slogans before?

I can’t help but get the impression that someone is walking around Hobby Lobby, or Bed Bath & Beyond to pick out the campaign’s political slogans based on the pre-made signs from Amazon.com that your aunt or grandma hang in their bathroom.

Hopefully the next slogan won’t involve putting the seat back down after you use it.

Just caught this notation on the HansenLems for Governor website, on the page with the stale, days-old release announcing today’s announcement:

I recognize that name. Texas-based consultant Jim McIntosh is the media person? Pretty sure we’ve heard that name before, in connection with the Liz May for Congress campaign.

That’s good news. For Dusty Johnson, that is.

Considering he utterly kicked her tail 3-1.

More to come.

Had someone ask me if anyone was posting about the Hansen/Lemming announcement soiree’ tonight… and there really isn’t much out there. A few pics of a room that’s filled with dinner tables, and a few people.. kind of a so-so “Lincoln Day Dinner size crowd.” Maybe 100-150?  Could be less, as the number of tables in there give an artificial impression of the room being full, since they take up a lot of space.

Stu Whitney has the best social media on it at the moment, and you can find his photos here on twitter.  The things that caught my attention in his photos are that they didn’t have one, but TWO teleprompters for the candidates to read their canned speeches from.

They have a gubernatorial announcement, with more than a week to prepare for the big day, and the candidates have to read off big TV’s strategically placed around the room?

I’m sure they were quite impressed with themselves at the venue, but in terms of making a media splash, it has been coming out in dribs and drabs for a week now, so kind of an underwhelming impact now that they’ve reached the day.

No live-streaming seemed to be available, and even more egregiously, there is no release on their website, OR on the twitter page for “Hansen Lems for Governor of South Dakota.”

THAT’s confusing in and of itself, using a portmanteau mash-up of their names, much like “Bennifer” for Ben Affleck & JLo.

If they were using teleprompters, as they were, those speeches were canned – so WHY WOULDN”T THEY HAVE A PRESS RELEASE PRE-POSITIONED ON THEIR WEBSITE AND ALL SOCIAL MEDIA?!?   They could have put out both a release, AND speeches as prepared. Instead… crickets.

Literally, in terms of media, Steve Haugaard’s rollout was better. And that says a lot.

We’ll continue to monitor the Hansen/Lemmings effort as it rolls down the road like a Walmart bag in the wind. Such as it is.

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley is announcing a significant fundraiser in Rapid City coming up on May 5 – and this host list is HUGE:

That’s looking like a $75K fundraiser to start just from the sponsoring hosts!  Make sure you check it out and give Marty your support!

I had someone ask me to post the Minnehaha GOP Code of Conduct, so I chased it down and discovered something very, very funny.

The subject of the recent censure – State Senator “sticky” Tom Pischke? He’s the one who brought the motion to approve the code of conduct he’s been told he’s violated:

Minnehaha County Republicans Executive Board Code of Conduct 1-30-25 by Pat Powers on Scribd

They only passed that on 1/30/25? Tom was censured on April 9, giving him about 69 days between his motion and his violation of the code.

I guess he should have been more careful of what he wished for. Because he got it.

From my mailbox, looks like Toby Doeden is shooting footage for a commercial in the park in Aberdeen with about as many cameras as people (3, possibly 4?).

Doesn’t exactly look like someone who is going to take the knee to the Hansen/Lemmings group.

 

I will say, at least this time he’s wearing a Carhartt instead of his Ralph Lauren Polo vest.